Veterans who receive general discharges under honorable conditions are entitled to all VA benefits, with the exception of GI Bill education benefits. Other Than Honorable (OTH) Discharge An OTH discharge is typically an undesirable discharge.
Can you get VA benefits with a general discharge?
Veterans with a general discharge, or general discharge under honorable conditions, are also entitled to all the benefits under the VA. This character means that a service member may not have met all of the standards of honorable discharge, yet their military service met standards of adequacy.
What is general discharge under honorable conditions?
The General Discharge, Under Honorable Conditions is assigned when there are infractions that do not warrant a judicial consequence. It can also be assigned when there is a medical reason for a discharge.
What is general under honorable conditions?
- Involuntary separation due to parenthood
- Diagnosis of a Personality disorder
- Other designated physical or mental conditions
How bad is a dishonorable discharge?
In many states a dishonorable discharge is deemed the equivalent of a felony conviction, with attendant loss of civil rights. In some states, those who have been dishonorably discharged may also be barred from voting, holding office or doing jury service because they were discharged as the result of a felony conviction.
Can you receive VA benefits with a general discharge?
Veterans who receive general discharges under honorable conditions are entitled to all VA benefits, with the exception of GI Bill education benefits.
Are you considered a veteran with a general discharge?
Current state law generally defines a veteran in three ways. The general definition is anyone honorably discharged or released under honorable conditions from active duty in the armed forces.
Is a general discharge considered honorable?
A general discharge under honorable conditions means that your service was satisfactory, but did not deserve the highest level of discharge for performance and conduct. Many veterans with this type of discharge may have engaged in minor misconduct.
What disqualifies you from VA benefits?
If you're a current or former member of the Reserves or National Guard, you must have been called to active duty by a federal order and completed the full period for which you were called or ordered to active duty. If you had or have active-duty status for training purposes only, you don't qualify for VA health care.
Can you get VA benefits with other than honorable discharge?
Veterans with other than honorable (OTH) discharges can apply now for health care and may receive treatment while VA reviews your application. The VA may treat you for: Your VA-rated, service-connected disability. Any conditions related to sexual assault or sexual harassment experienced during your service.
Can you reenlist after a general discharge?
You are normally only eligible for reenlistment if you have an honorable discharge. All other discharges than honorable tend to have legal or court martial offenses attached to them.
Can I join USAA with a general discharge?
You must have separated with an Honorable or General Under Honorable Conditions discharge. Call 800-531-USAA (8722), that's 800-531-8722 to see if you qualify.
How does a general discharge affect civilian life?
1. It prevents future service. Individuals who receive a General Discharge, Under Honorable Conditions are not allowed to re-enlist once the dismissal has been completed. The discharge type prevents individuals from entering a different service of the armed forces as well.
How many priority groups are there for VA?
When you apply for VA health care, you’ll be assigned 1 of 8 priority groups. This system helps to make sure that Veterans who need immediate care can get signed up quickly. Your priority group may affect how soon we sign you up for health care benefits.
What does enhanced eligibility mean?
You may qualify for enhanced eligibility status (meaning you’ll be placed in a higher priority group, which makes you more likely to get benefits) if you meet at least one of the requirements listed below. At least one of these must be true.
Can I get VA health care benefits if I served in the military?
Am I eligible for VA health care benefits? You may be eligible for VA health care benefits if you served in the active military, naval, or air service and didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge.
How long do you have to serve in the military to get a VA loan?
6 years in the Reserves or National Guard. If you can prove you served enough time and that you have the right type of discharge, you are eligible for the VA loan. You’ll receive a Certificate of Eligibility, which your lender will need to process your VA loan. Click to See the Latest Mortgage Rates.
What does it mean to be discharged with a discharge?
General discharge means that you were discharged with satisfactory performance, but there is some area that you did not meet the requirements. There was some type of no judicial punishment that you received for failure to meet the military expectations or for some type of misconduct that wasn’t bad enough to warrant a dishonorable discharge.
How many days do you have to serve to qualify for VA home loan?
You must serve at least: 91 days during wartime in the regular military. 181 days during peacetime in the regular military.
Do you have to prove you can afford a VA loan?
Don’t make the mistake of assuming that if you are eligible for a VA loan that you automatically qualify. You have to prove that you can afford the loan. The VA does have flexible guidelines when it comes to qualifying, but you still have to prove that you can afford it.
Do you have to have a dishonorable discharge to receive VA benefits?
In general, you need a discharge other than dishonorable in order to receive VA benefits. This means honorable, under honorable conditions and general discharge. The only exception to this rule would be if there is some type of special circumstance that left you with a dishonorable discharge.
What is it called when you get sick while serving in the military?
You: Got sick or injured while serving in the military—and can link this condition to your illness or injury (called an inservice disability claim), or. Had an illness or injury before you joined the military—and serving made it worse (called a preservice disability claim), or.
Can you get VA disability for lung disease?
You may be able to get VA disability benefits for conditions such as : Chronic (long-lasting) back pain resulting in a current diagnosed back disability. Breathing problems resulting from a current lung condition or lung disease. Severe hearing loss. Scar tissue.
What is a VA health card?
The VHIC safeguards your personal information – the member ID and card number have eliminated the need for your Social Security number to be on the card. Similar to a typical health insurance card, the VHIC signifies your enrollment in VA health care.
What is the VA handbook?
The handbook will detail your VA health care benefit information, based on your specific eligibility factors, in an organized, easy-to-read format. It also includes information on your preferred facility, copayment responsibilities, how to schedule appointments, ways to communicate treatment needs and more.
What does a notification letter mean for a veteran?
If the information provided assists in determining that the Veteran is eligible for enrollment, the Veteran will receive a notification letter indicating continued eligibility status. If the Veteran is determined not eligible for enrollment, the Veteran will receive a notification letter indicating the:
What can veterans expect from their Pact?
Veterans can expect their PACT to help them use health care services, including eHealth technologies , which are necessary to optimize their health and well-being. For more information, visit www.patientcare.va.gov/primarycare/PACT.asp or contact the enrollment coordinator at your local VA medical facility.
How long does it take for VA to make a final decision?
The reason for the decision (lack of proof of Veteran status, eligibility, etc.) At the end of the 60 days and after thoroughly reviewing any new evidence or information submitted, VA will make a final eligibility determination.
How long does it take for a VA to notify you of a disenrollment?
Enrolled Veterans who are receiving health care benefits and are later determined to not be eligible for enrollment will be notified via letter 60 days prior to disenrollment. This will give the Veteran adequate time to provide VA with the needed information to finalize the enrollment decision and, if necessary, transfer his or her medical care to the private sector or to seek other options for medical care.
How to get a VHIC?
To obtain a VHIC, you will need to provide one form of primary identification: your driver’s license, passport, or other federal, state or local photo ID with your address, to your local VA health care facility and have your photo taken.
Is a release for any reason a statutory bar to benefits?
§ 5303), a release or discharge for any of the following reasons constitutes a statutory bar to benefits, unless it is determined that the Servicemember was insane at the time he/she committed the offense that resulted in the discharge:
Is discharge dishonorable in VA?
A: Yes. As established by VA regulation 38 CFR § 3.12(d), an individual’s character of discharge is considered to have been issued “under dishonorable conditions” if he/she was released under any of the following circumstances:
Can you get VA medical treatment if you have a discharge?
A: Yes, in some situations: If an individual received a discharge “under other than honorable conditions,” he or she may still be eligible for treatment at a VA medical facility for disabilities determined to be service connected, unless the individual is subject to one of the statutory bars to benefits specified in 38 U.S.C. § 5303.
What is VA benefits?
VA benefits are contingent upon time in service and possession of an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions. Honorable and general discharges qualify the veteran for most VA benefits.
Why do veterans get discharged?
Some common reasons for the military to issue a general discharge include the following: mental instability, frequent or prolonged absences, alcohol abuse and drug abuse.
What is an honorable discharge?
A general discharge under honorable conditions satisfies the basic eligibility for veteran status with the Department of Veterans Affairs and provides the benefit of assistance from counselors at a local VA branch. VA benefits are contingent upon time in service and possession of an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable ...
Is it a good idea to petition for an upgrade in status?
Although a general discharge provides access to most benefits, petitioning for an upgrade in status is a good idea. Make sure you understand the reason for your general discharge under honorable conditions.
Can a general discharge be considered honorable?
A prospective employer rarely challenges a general discharge under honorable conditions, which means that this type of discharge avoids the stigma associated with a dishonorable discharge. General discharges can convert to honorable discharges if the return to civilian life encourages formation of a stellar citizen. To petition for an upgrade in discharge status, the individual must establish a stellar civilian profile before petitioning for the change, which could take several years.
Does Character Of Service Determination Change Discharge Status
While a character of service determination can make an individual eligible for VA benefits and veteran status, it does not change their actual discharge status from the military. Again, it only means that VA is going to allow their benefits claim to proceed if the character of service discharge is favorable.
What Are The Benefits Of A General Discharge
The conditions under which the discharge was given is included on the service members DD-214, the document which outlines the specifics of their separation from military service.
Get A Certificate Of Eligibility
The first step in getting a VA loan is to get a certificate of eligibility . The required paperwork you need depends on your status but here are some examples.
Va Loan Requirement Guidelines
Below are some basic VA loan requirements to keep in mind when thinking about purchasing a new home. Getting all your documents organized and established makes the home buying process a much smoother experience.
What Is A Va Loan
A VA loan is a mortgage that benefits individuals who have served in the U.S. military. By guaranteeing a percentage of every VA home loan, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs lessens the risk to lenders.
Dishonorably Discharged Veterans Cant Use The Loan
No one sets out to get a dishonorable discharge on their record. That said, it happens and earning that discharge designation on your record will prevent you from being able to use the VA home loan program permanently.
What Are Typical Credit Ranges For A Va Mortgage
Its important to put that common 640 benchmark in perspective. The FICO credit score is used by most mortgage lenders and runs from 300 and 850.
How do I know if I served under an eligible wartime period?
Under current law, we recognize the following wartime periods to decide eligibility for VA pension benefits:
What should I do if I received an other than honorable, bad conduct, or dishonorable discharge?
If you’ve received one of these discharge statuses, you may not be eligible for VA pension benefits.
Basic Eligibility For VA Health Care
Minimum Duty Requirements
- Most Veterans who enlisted after September 7, 1980, or entered active duty after October 16, 1981, must have served 24 continuous months or the full period for which they were called to active duty to be eligible. This minimum duty requirement may not apply to Veterans who were discharged for a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty,...
Enrolled, But Later Determined Ineligible
- Enrolled Veterans who are receiving health care benefits and are later determined to not be eligible for enrollment will be notified via letter 60 days prior to disenrollment. This will give the Veteran adequate time to provide VA with the needed information to finalize the enrollment decision and, if necessary, transfer his or her medical care to the private sector or to seek other …